According to the report, Pimentel-Binay’s partymate in the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban)-"doesn’t welcome the idea of having Zubiri on board." Pimentel said, "Migz is not welcome because he deprived me of the opportunity to serve. Why would we welcome someone who deprived us a seat in the Senate?"

It may be recalled that Zubiri resigned as senator on August 3, after former Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan and former Maguindanao elections supervisor Lintang Bedol disclosed the alleged irregularities in the 2007 polls in the said province. Pimentel was declared as the 12th winning senator in the 2007 elections by the Senate Electoral Tribunal on August 11.

Nevertheless, Interaksyon.com noted: "Binay said he would like to see Pimentel and Zubiri running on the same ticket under his leadership. He said this could have many advantages as the two are both from Mindanao."